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3 Preface
A Statement of Faith designed for the Covenant Baptist churches in the Philippines. I have served for almost 20 years as the pastor of a Strict and Particular Baptist church in London, England. In 2017, my wife and I grew increasingly burdened to pioneer a Strict and Particular Baptist movement in the Philippines. Although we plan on beginning this work in the summer of 2019, the Lord has already paved the way for the first church to be organised within the next three weeks (12 August 2018). Subsequently, I have been prompted to draw up a Statement of Faith around which the new church may be organized. There are actually two parts to the Statement: First, there is A Declaration of Faith arranged under 70…
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4 A Declaration of Faith
We are historically linked with a circle of churches in England known as “Strict and Particular Baptists”. The term Strict refers to the Lord’s Table designed for and restricted to the members of the church; the term Particular refers to the Lord’s Atonement designed for and restricted to elect sinners. However, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, we are choosing to identify ourselves as “Covenant Baptists”. The term ‘covenant’ refers to both of the preceding doctrines. The privilege of observing the Lord’s Table is based on the covenant church members have made with each other; and, the blessing of redeeming grace is based on the covenant the TriUne Jehovah has made with Himself. In order that we be easily identified with these doctrines, we…
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5 An Explanation of Faith
1. Of the Holy Scriptures. We believe the sum and substance of our faith is set forth in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. (2 Tim 3:14-17) These scriptures are plenarily and verbally given by the inspiration of God and therefore inerrant in all their parts. (2 Pet 1:19,20) God has preserved His Word through the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus. (Ps 119:89) The Authorised Version is the most reliable translation of the Bible in English which is the official translation used in this church. The Holy Scriptures are the only sufficient, certain and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith and practice. (Ps 19:7-11) 2. Of the One True and Only God. We believe the scriptures reveal the one…
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Why Did Christ Die?
According to some people, Christ died to give all a chance of being saved! I do not know that I hate anything more in my soul than to hear that. It makes Jesus Christ so little that He should do so much, and after all only to get us a chance of being saved. Why, if a man is set up in business, you see how often it happens that he fails in it; and if man cannot manage the paltry things of time and sense without being insolvent, what will he do with eternal realities? And if you come a little closer, when God "made man upright" and he had no sinful nature, what did he do with his innocence? He lost it all!…
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On Preaching the Gospel
By William GadsbyWe maintain that it is the right for a minister of Jesus Christ to preach the gospel in the hearing of all that hear him; and what we find fault with is not preaching the gospel to all that hear but men pretending that they are authorised to offer the gospel to all that hear them. We consider that to preach the gospel is one thing, and to offer the gospel is quite another thing. Hence when a man gets up into a pulpit, and says, “In God’s name I offer Christ, and pardon, and salvation, to every soul of you present; if you reject this offer, you may never have another; therefore come now and take Christ and salvation, while you have…
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An Address To Youth
To all Young People, of both sexes, into whose hands this may fall. Let me address you as one who fears the Lord, and who wishes you well. Beware of deceivers! Remember, you are in a world of woe, beset with gins, and traps, and snares, and, as you grow to years of maturity, an evil heart, the which you all possess, will naturally incline to evil; and as some of the most destructive sins appear the most flattering and pleasing to a carnal heart, therefore the danger is the greater. When youth have once been left to the dishonourable practice of fornication or uncleanness, and thus deprived themselves of that common virtue which it becomes them, as the creatures of God and for their…
